150 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



remain still. But instantly the reports of mu* 

 kets loaded with heavy shot are heard, and the 

 dead and wounded fall in numbers to the earth. 

 Collecting their prey, they then return to their 

 vessels, to celebrate with drunken orgies their 

 brutal triumph. Stripping off their beautiful 

 feathered apparel, while the flesh of their vic- 

 tims is yet warm, they throw them on the coals. 

 Then filling repeatedly their rum flasks, with 

 shouting and revelry the night is far spent, till 

 at length tumbling and snoring, the crazy crew 

 fall into uneasy slumbers. With the return of 

 morning they are again on the alert, when the 

 sun shines brightly on the snow -clad mountains, 

 and fresh breezes shake the heavy dew-drops 

 from the boughs. 



Startled by the pure eye of day upon them, 

 the Eggers arise, and make for some other spot 

 sheltered as before, where, undisturbed, they 

 may betake themselves again to their ferocious 

 employment. Thus passing their days in cruelty, 

 and their nights in revelry, the marauders spend 

 weeks in these occupations. Touching in suc- 

 cession at every island along the coast, propi- 

 tious to their guilty purposes, ample gatherings 

 are made by them to satisfy their sordid minds. 

 Sometimes, enraged at competition in their de- 

 graded traffic by a band of desi:)eradoes like 

 themselves, a challenge is given, musketry is dis- 



